Vehicle spring mounting



Feb. 28, 1933. E. s. MacFHERSQN 1,899,624

VEHICLE SPRING MOUNTING Filed May 5, 1930 f uy ' INVENTOR ATTORNEYS .B7/f 53' E 56 I C #46 l I 1 @I Patented Feb. 28, 1933 UNITED STA TES PATENT EARLE s. MAcrIIEnsON,` OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoIv To IIIIrP MOTOR CARA`4 CORPORATION, OF'DETROIT, MIcIiIGAN, A CORPORATION on VIRGINIA` Y VEHICLE SPRING MOUNTING .Thisiinvention relates generally to vehicles and more particularly to an improved'mounting for the springs of a vehicle.

The present invention .contemplatesthe s-provisionof a mounting for supporting a` spring from a vehicle chassis which permits limited f longitudinal displacement of the spring relativeto the chassisl andythereby eliminates what is commonly known inthe trade as Wheel Hight.

. A further obj ect of this invention is to vprovide a mounting of the typelspecified above which is simple in construction and one vwhich may be` inexpensively manufactured,l as-V l"sembled and installed. l t

With the foregoing as Well as other objects in view the invent-ion resides yin the peculiar construction of the mounting and the manner in which the same functions to permit restricted longitudinal movements of a spring relative to its support.

\ In the drawing: l

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehiclel vchassis having springs connected '25'- thereto in accordance with the present inventionf* j I 1 Figure 2 is asectional view through the front spring mounting or shackle.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the rear spring mounting, and

Figure 4 is a sectional viewptaken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be Y noted that there is illustrated fragmentarily in Figure 1 a vehicle chassis 10 comprising sill members 11 and 12 secured together in proper spaced relation to each other by means of suitable crossbars one of which being designated by the character 13. Extending 40- transversely of the chassis substantially below the same is a front axle 14 connected to the chassis by semi-elliptical springs 15 and 16. The forward ends of the springs are preferably connected to the frontends of the sill members 11 and 12 by means of shackles 17 and 18, respectively, which may be of any suitable construction. Theshackles 17 and 18, shown herein for the purpose of illustration, are of the shock absorbing type and preferably comprise complementary side p AApplication led May 5, 1930. Serial lNo. 450,019.`

plates '19. and 2o heidl-,in'lpipr spaced` reli.

thereof. :The units A andB comprise c0- -tion to each other by means ofshock absorbing units A' and B, 'interposed between the` plates adjacent the upper and lowerlendsv axially arranged innerffandfouter tubular members l21 and -22 normally .held .inns-,Q sembledV position .relative to, each other by;`

flexible non-metallicsleeves 25 compressed within the space between themembers 21 and .l

22, The vuppertubular members 421 areheld (y rigid vupon the frame inany suitable mannerI while the lower members 21 are securedjwithf.

in the eyes 23 formediupon the front ends yof;

the springs 15 and 16.

Thecomplementary plates 19 and held in assembled relation by means of the..

shackle bolts 241v .extending axially throughy the inner tubular membersy 22 and serveto., clamp the latter to the, plates 19. and 20. The construction is suchthat rocking movement of the shackleseffects a corresponding.rockf.y ing movementof the inner tubular members l22 relative to the. other tubular members;` Relative angular movements of the inner .and l" outer tubular :members `is permitted without friction due to the elastic non-metallic sleeves g.

25, which as `stated above are` compressed Within the'space between .the tubular members 18o The rear ends of the springs 15 andjl'are 21 and 22.

connected to the chassis frame bynieans off 'p my improved mounting s. designated generally l.

by thelreference character` 27in Figure/1.V

Forthe purpose of illustration, I have shownf the mounting 27 as comprising a-pairof come;y

plementary,substantially Lgshaped vplates 28 ,p

and 29 normallymaintained inproperspaced; v

relation to each other .by means of yt,he,units C, D and E.' .The units C, Dglan'd E comprisel outer tubularv socket members-30,31.and32f Y and innertubulargsleeves"33, 3/1and,35 ar:-`4 ranged similar to the inner and,outertubu.v lar members'21 and 22, hereinbefore set forth.y TheA tubularmembers 31,and .3,2 are respectively securedl-to the frame Aand rear ends ofi` the springend the cooperating ImQISlQ-QYQS, 311` and ,35 are yclamped to the :plates 28I and.

29 for rocking movement therewithbythe shackle bolts 36 extending through the innerv movements of the springs relative to the chassis and for accomplishing this function are disposed between the plates 28 and 29 at the free ends thereof. As shown in Figure 3, the units C are similar in construction to the units D and E rin that the outer tubular members 30 thereof are also secured to the frame and the inner sleeve members 33 eX- tending'therethrough are vclamped to the plates 2 8 and 29 by thefshackle bolts 37. The sleeve lmembers 33 are maintained Within the tubular spacers 30 by means of elastic sleeves 38 compressed Within the tubularv members 33. The elastic sleeves 38 are preferably compressed to a less degree than the elastic sleeves, hereinbefore described, so as y toafford sufficient rocking movement of the mounting to permit limited longitudinal kmovementsk of theV springs relative to the chassis.

Thus, from-the foregoing it Will be observed that I have provided means formountingv a spring upon a vehicle chassis which permits longitudinal displacement of the 'spring relative to the chassis and since the axle is usually rigidly secured to theV springs aV corresponding movement of the axle will be 'eected When the above described mounting; is used in connection with the springs secured to the steering axle of the vehicle, as illustrated yin the present instance,

the restricted movements of the spring and aXle aresuflicient to suppress the re-actions of the steering mechanism caused by Wheel-l 45` ight. Y Y

While in describing the invention particular stress has been placed upon the association of improved'mounting With the rear ends of both .of the front springs of the ve.- hicle, it has been found by actual practice that many'of the objects of this invention may be realized by associating the mounting With either end of the spring on the steering mechanism side or on both sides of the vehicle and accordingly reservation is made to make such changes in the construction as may come Within the purview of the accompanying claims. Y

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a vehicle, the combination vvithfa chassis, of a spring supported from the chassis, means connecting the spring to said chassis lpermitting longitudinal movement of the spring relative to the chassis, said means including,a lever having one end pvOtally connected to one end of the spring, means for supporting the lever from the chassis including a pair of pivots connected to the lever intermediate the ends thereof and at the freeV .end of the same, tubular members surrounding the pivots in concentric relation to the latter and supported on the frame, and elastic members compressed Within the tubular members and surrounding lthe said pivots, the elastic members surrounding the pivot for the free end of the lever being compressed lto a less degree than the other elastic member permitting limited angular movement of the lever.y

2. A mounting for vehicle springs and the like comprising a pair of spaced complementary plates members connecting the plates adjacent the ends and intermedia-te the ends thereof, tubular elements surrounding each ofthe said members, and4 elastic sleeves compressed Within the space betvveen the tubular elements and members permitting limited relative movement of the latter, one of the elastic sleeves beii'ig compressed to a lessvdegree thanthe other sleeves.

3. In a vehicle, the combination With a chassis, of a spring supported upon the chassis, means connecting said spring to said chassis permitting longitudinal movement of v the spring relative to the chassis, said means including alever having one end pivotally connected to one end ofthe spring, means supporting the lever upon the frame at spaced points comprising pivots carried by the lever, and elastic sleeves carried by the frame surrounding the'pivots, one of said sleeves being compressed to a less degree than the other sleeve providing for restricted rocking movement of the' `.lever relative tothe frame. Y' A In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

` EARLE S. MACPHERSON.VVV 

